Remember when Samsung unveiled the world's first foldable smartphone? What did you experience then? A sense of pride that you are living in this wonderful time? Maybe a keen desire to break a piggy bank and buy this gadget? Although, it seems to me, it was something like bewilderment and misunderstanding of why it was needed at all, and who would buy this something for two and a half thousand dollars. Then I remained neutral, then I tried to prove the success and prospects of such a technology, and now I understand that the product is still very raw and it is too early to release it from the laboratory. He has too many flaws. All would be fine, but now Xiaomi climbed into this garden. Is it really the next “top for your money”? I doubt it.
A foldable smartphone Xiaomi is waiting for many, but why do we need it?
Foldable Smartphone Xiaomi
Rumors in the world of smartphones have long ceased to be rumors and now correspond as much as possible to the saying “there is no smoke without fire.” If someone says something, there is common sense and, most likely, he is right about eighty percent. Although, perhaps, the producers simply understand that rumors are a kind of people's desire and try to release something in accordance with these desires.
So Xiaomi appears to be planning to release a foldable phone similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. This information comes from ZDNet Korea, which received some data from its sources in the electronic components industry.
According to this information, Xiaomi asked Samsung to provide them with enough flexible OLED – displays, similar to those used in the Galaxy Z Flip. The source also notes that Xiaomi may turn to another supplier. It will be another well-known Korean company – LG Display. There are other manufacturers who can supply such displays, such as BOE and CSOT, but their displays allegedly do not meet quality standards Xiaomi.
Even if the displays of these manufacturers have some design flaws, are they so scary against the background of the fact that the whole design, in principle, most likely will not work very long. Examples of the first batches of Samsung and Motorola are another confirmation of this.
When Xiaomi will release the foldable phone
The mass production of foldable smartphones Xiaomi is expected to begin in the second half of this year. This clamshell will be the first such smartphone from the company. Earlier Xiaomi has already demonstrated its foldable smartphone, but it was just a prototype and it never became a reality. But you never know that someone is showing prototypes. The main thing is to eventually release an industrial design.
The concept, of course, is beautiful, but why do we need it?
This device is likely to have flagship-level specs, or at least something close to that. It is possible that the company already has an idea of what its smartphone should be like and now it's only about buying screens. When an agreement is reached on them, it remains only to adapt it to the hardware and everything should work. But it is not exactly.
As if to prove its intentions, Xiaomi has already acquired several patents for foldable phones. Here are just a dozen of these patents for each major brand, and only two and a half companies have ready-made smartphones.
There may be other leaks in the near future that will help us understand more, but it's too early to talk about it yet. One thing is clear for sure – the company is at great risk.
There is a feeling that she tried to make smartphones, in general she learned and decided to show everyone who is ready to put everyone in their place here. The main thing is that with this approach it does not fall to the very bottom.
There is a feeling that manufacturers have cooled down a bit towards folding devices. For those who started doing them, it's just too late to retreat. The rest can still save themselves a lot of money. Against this background, it looks very dubious the decision Xiaomi, which usually produces something inexpensive, to release a smartphone that will cost at least one and a half thousand dollars.
Although, perhaps we do not know something, and Xiaomi are ready not only to release a new foldable smartphone, but also to make it a budget one. This will be the number if, in fact, the same Galaxy Z Flip will be sold for a thousand dollars or even less, but this is hard to believe.
It seems to me that Xiaomi will just release another foldable smartphone that no one will buy. They will amuse their pride, but this will not give anything to the market. And since the money put into the novelty will have to be beaten off, new models of ordinary smartphones, which are preparing for release, may simply rise in price. As you can imagine, this is a road to nowhere. The main thing is that the company does not take a one-way ticket on this way.